


Twelve

by gerrd_way



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-03-07 05:55:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3163766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gerrd_way/pseuds/gerrd_way
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gerard is an English teacher St. Marks Catholic School. A workaholic, socially isolated, and obsessed with comic books, he's virtually a recluse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Peter

“Mr. Way?”

Gerard looked up from the book he was reading. Or, rather, the comic book he was reading behind his copy of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Despite all of his students knowing that he was a complete geek with an obsession with superheroes, he still tried to act like what he perceived was typical English-teacher behavior. He had already read the play, anyway. And Spider-Man is more interesting than 1600s romance.

“What’s up, Burls?” Gerard had this problem with nicknames. Everyone had one, most of which were ironic. ‘Burls’ was the smallest kid in the class - all skin and bone at a sequoia height of 5’3”. On a good day.

“Sir, the paper you gave us to do makes no sense.”

“Which was it? I made at least ten prompts trying to come up with a good one last night. Or, well, this morning actually. But, uh, I hadn’t slept yet. So night. Sorry, go on. What does it say?”

“It’s - t’s just the word ‘Twelve’ in the middle of the page.”

Gerard looked confused for a minute, but then nodded in understanding. “Ah, yeah, that one. It’s supposed to spark the idea. Write something with the word twelve in it. So, like, a story about Cat getting attacked by twelve angry dwarves.”

“Hey!” Cat called out. Cat was a girl in the class who basically had two interests at first glance: dogs and puppies.

The class laughed. This had been a good year. Nearing the end of May, this was the last few weeks that Gerard would have this class. The summer was always bittersweet for him. He looked foreword to the break, and to seeing his family and his brother Mikey, and to having no commitments. He always missed his students though. He got to teach a new batch every year, and it always ended up the same way, but that didn’t change how he felt about his students this year. They were fun to teach, and fun to be around. They were genuinely interesting people.

“Is this our last essay of the year?” A gruff voice asked. Shrimp, the varsity football quarterback.

“I mean unless you want another one, I was planning on it being the last, yeah. Mostly just so the grade book isn’t just class participation and then, like, one test.”

“So you’re expecting an essay in two weeks?” A high-pitched voice asked. Falsetto, the second smallest guy in class.

“It doesn’t have to be long. And I know that you have all your other classes, but it’s not hard. Just write a story.”

“Can it be about anything?” A flat voice asked. Fleur, who was basically the epitome of don’t-give-a-shit rebellion. Leather jacket over her usually-not-in-dress-code school uniform, choppy black hair, and a middle finger that was usually pointed at someone else.

“Whatever you want,” Gerard replied.

The bell rang. People starting getting their stuff together, ready to leave their dear school for the day. Gerard starts getting his things put away as well. He turns off his desktop and puts his books in his bag. It was a leather messenger bag, which he thought was a little too pretentious, even for him, but his mother said it made him look ‘dignified and like an adult.’ Mikey said that was total bullshit, that he was an adult, but his mother gave him the damned bag anyway. It held things, at least.

The TV was still on when Gerard got to his apartment. It was playing a kid’s show now, instead of the news that he put on last night for background noise. He didn't bother to change it as he walked past his hellhole of a living room and into the kitchen, where he made a pot of coffee and pulled out leftovers to reheat.

On the show playing on TV, there was a girl talking to her brother about some glass unicorn statues. He wanted to play with them, but the girl wouldn't let him, because they were fragile. The little brother reminded him of Mikey. And anyway, he was pretty sure this was the show where the girl is a superhero who saves the day with words. That could totally be him. Gerard and Mikey Way/ WordGirl AU.

The thought of writing an AU for he and his brother and a children’s television program sends shivers down his spine. He’s written some weird things, but not that weird. He’d just make some original superheroes for them. 

His phone rang. Speak of the devil, Gerard thought. Mikey was one of two or maybe three people who actually called Gerard. And he was the only one who called him regularly.

“Hey, Mikes, what’s up?” Gerard greeted.

“Not much, Gee. Anything interesting going on in your life?”

Mikey was basically saying “please say you have gone on at least one date.” He was completely aware of Gerard’s crippling workaholism and self-induced social isolation, but he pushed on with his asking about Gerard’s love life.

“No, just school. I mean, school is great, but I know you don't want to hear about assigning essays and discussions about the importance of grammar.”

“Yeah, I don’t really care so much about that.”

“I haven’t met anyone,” Gerard said, answering his brother’s implied question before it was asked explicitly.

“Come on, Gerard. You need some romance in your life,” Mikey said.

“I know. I’ve tried. Remember that time I tried doing the online thing? Every single date I went on blew. Totally disheartening.”

“Well you don’t have to do online dating again. You could maybe go out and meet someone. Go out and do things like normal people.” Gerard could tell Mikey was slightly done with his shit.

“When would I find time to do that?”

“Dude. You work eight to four. And have weekends off. You have more than enough time to just go to a bar.

“I do a lot of stuff after work, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I have to grade papers, read books, make assignments. It’s labor intensive.”

“You have a conference period for a reason.”

“For conferences. I talk to parents and other teachers. And I help students who are struggling.”

“Gerard, you’re evading the point. You need to be able to have more in your life than school.”

“Mikey -”

“Gerard, I have to go. You’re still coming home for the summer, right? I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”

Mikey hung up the phone. Gerard groaned as he put his phone down on the counter. Mikey was right. He needed to get out more. He just didn't want to get hurt


	2. Andrew

Last day of school. Everyone was anxious for the bell - only five minutes to go - but they were also sad about the school year ending. It was a bittersweet English class.

The class milled around the room, bubbles of students forming for a conversation, then popping and creating new. Somehow, this class wasn't filled with cliques and friend groups, like most classes; the whole class was a group. From his desk, Gerard listened to the students' conversations while grading the class' last essays of the year. Despite summer officially starting soon - only three minutes to go - grades weren't due for another two weeks, and so Gerard was taking his time grading and editing his students' essays and stories, before he handed them off to the English IV teacher who would have his students next year.

Gerard welcomed the work over the summer. Essays the first two weeks, then summer reading novels, and then assignments for the books. Between that and reworking his lesson plans for the upcoming school year, Gerard might just be able to avoid Mikey's constant matchmaking this summer. That was his hope at very least.

The bell interrupted Gerard's thoughts, the last screeching bell until September. Students, a mix of excited and bittersweet, said their goodbyes and gathered their things, saying goodbye to their English teacher on the way out. Gerard said goodbye to every student as they walked out the door, punctuated by handshakes, hugs, and high fives.

Eventually Gerard was left in an empty classroom. He gathered what he would need for the summer in his bag, then the rest in his arms. He would organize the papers and books when he got home and finished packing. Tomorrow he would be back home, in his childhood home in his hometown. Only an hour away, he could always come back if he needed, and he could go visit his mom and Mikey whenever he wanted to, but coming home for summer for some reason was always better than just a quick visit over the weekend.

*

Home. Packed. Out the door, in the car, an hour's drive. Gerard was immediately greeted by one of his favorite people in the world.

Mikey hugged Gerard the moment that he stepped out of his car, squeezing Gerard tight. After a few seconds, Gerard had to push away from his younger brother for a breath. "Hey, Mikes," Gerard greeted, laughing slightly.

"Long time no see!" Mikey said, clapping Gerard's arm.

"Yeah." Gerard shut the car door and walked around to the trunk, unlocking it and grabbing his bags. Mikey grabbed Gerard's leather messenger bag, walking with his older brother up to their childhood home.

"This bag still doesn't do anything to make you seem like an adult," Mikey joked, scoffing at his remark.

"It carries things, though," Gerard said. "That's all I really need. I could be carrying a Frozen backpack for all I care."

"Aw, fuck that movie. You have _no _idea how many times I have had to watch that movie. And listen to the songs. And sing along."__

__"Good thing about teaching high school. I don't have to deal with kids' movies."_ _

__"Yeah, well if you ever have kids, beware. But I mean, at the rate you're going..."_ _

__"Look, I'm really happy for you and Alicia, and I love Angie, but I'm just not interested in that life," Gerard explained._ _

__Miley sat Gerard's bag down in the desk chair, and Gerard sat the rest of his bags down next to his bed, before sitting on the edge. Mikey leaned against Gerard's desk, looking at his older brother. "I'm not saying you have to get married and have kids and stuff, I'm just saying you should, I don't know, go out on a date or two. Find a girlfriend. Or boyfriend, I don't care. But just find someone to hang out with other than me. You've gotta branch out, man."_ _

__Gerard fell back on the bed, lying on the bed, his arms outstretched at his side and his legs dangling off the bed. "Ughhhh," Gerard moaned._ _

__"Alicia knows a few people from work who might be interested, I can get you their numbers."_ _

__"Doesn't mean I'll call them."_ _

__"What are you going to do this summer, then?"_ _

__"Spend time with my family, the thing I came back to Monroeville for."_ _

__"You can also go on a few dates."_ _

__"I can babysit for you. You and Alicia can go on a date."_ _

__"I've got mom to do that whenever. You're not giving up a love life so my wife and I can get dinner together."_ _

__Gerard didn't respond. He loved Mikey, but he was not a fan of Mikey's meddling in his love life, or technically lack thereof. He figured that if he ignored Mikey for long enough, he would leave Gerard alone._ _

__After a few minutes of obstinate silence, the younger Way left the room, leaving Gerard by himself in his old bedroom. He got up from the bed and went to his desk. He got out his essays and began on the next one in his stack. It was Burls'. The packet was thick, at least ten pages. This was a long essay even in APA. The title in the middle of the cover page was as simple as his prompt had been. "Twelve."_ _

__Gerard was excited to read what Burls had written. He was an excellent writer, and Gerard knew that he took the prompt in stride, despite his reluctance at first._ _

__Just as Gerard was about to turn to the first page, his phone chimed with a text notification. The text was from Mikey._ _

_Dinner tonight with Tammy. 7, at Marc's Bistro. YOU ARE GOING_

_I have work to do, _ _ _ _ _Gerard replied. He put his phone down on his desk and began to read Burls' essay.__ _ _ _ _

______Gerard's phone went off again._ _ _ _ _ _

_Tammy is one of Alicia's friends from work. She likes roses and hates dogs. Don't talk about dogs._

________Gerard sighed. He had three hours before he had to go on a date. So much for avoiding Mikey's matchmaking. Mikey was getting him to go on a date, come hell or high water it looked like. Gerard hoped it was just over soon._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
